Local Attractions
There are plenty things to do while staying in Eastbourne. It is a lively and sunny seaside resort town and is known to be the sunniest place in the UK.
If you like a brisk walk, Beachy Head, Birling Gap and Seven sisters provide more than an eyeful of natural beauty.
Here are our top recommendations that you may consider while visiting the sunshine coast.
Eastbourne Seafront
Eastbourne is famous for its clean, safe bathing beaches and its promenade leading past the pier, the carpet gardens, the 1930s Bandstand and the Napoleonic towers.
There are more than 3 miles of vast shingle beaches offering sand and rock pooling opportunities, at low tide.
Theatres and bandstand in Eastbourne
Theatres in Eastbourne include the Congress Theatre, Devonshire Park Theatre, Royal Hippodrome, Winter Garden and the Underground Theatre. Offering a year round programme of shows including touring West End musicals, drama, comedy, live music and children’s shows.
The iconic 1930s bandstand is located directly on the beach front, with open views of the sea. The Bandstand is still thriving, and has over 140 performances and concerts each year. It makes a great place to visit with its unique architecture and picturesque setting. The bandstand also has many firework displays throughout the year.
Tennis: Rothesay International Eastbourne
The world class tennis courts at Devonshire Park play host to six major tennis tournaments each year. Every June, international tennis takes place with coverage beamed across the world on TV. Other tennis events include County tennis, junior and veteran events.
The sunny seaside setting has hosted matches featuring the likes of Novak Djokovic and Eastbourne’s very own Johanna Konta.
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Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow
Airbourne is a 4-day international air show run every August in Eastbourne.
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Attracting huge crowds, Eastbourne’s International Airshow boasts a 2 mile flying display line along Eastbourne seafront and regularly features the very best in military and civilian aviation display teams including the Red Arrows, Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, plus many more.
Eastbourne Downs Golf Course
Eastbourne Downs Golf Course is an 18-hole course situated on the beautiful South Downs and enjoys wonderful panoramic views across the English Channel, Beachy Head and directly over Eastbourne.
Wind speeds can pick up depending on the time of year, which can make the course more challenging, but overall, a fantastic experience suitable for golfers of all skills levels.
Beachy Head (top sightseeing)
Visit Beachy Head cliffs in Eastbourne. The UK’s highest chalk sea cliff features at the western end of Eastbourne seafront in the South Downs National Park and Seven Sisters Country Park.
The red and white striped Eastbourne Lighthouse, brought into service in 1902, is an iconic landmark on the British coastline sitting 500 feet below the cliffs of Beachy Head. The lighthouse still operates at night to guide passing mariners, its light providing an effective range of up to 8 nautical miles across the English Channel.
The spectacular cliffs tops of Beachy Head are a must see for all visitors to Eastbourne and the South Downs. Walk up from the western end of Eastbourne seafront or cycle from the start of the South Downs Way.
Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters (Top attraction)
Birling Gap offers a chalk and shingle beach great for rock pooling and fossil hunting at low tide. With a south west facing beach, it is very popular with surfers and kite fliers too so really whatever sort of thing you fancy doing there’s plenty of it here!
The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs stretching from Cuckmere Haven to Birling Gap. These white cliffs along the English Channel are one of Southern England’s most striking landscapes. Topped with a carpet of green grass, the brilliant white cliffs plunge dramatically into the sea. They are within the South Downs National Park. The Seven Sisters were created when ancient rivers cut valleys into the chalk, creating seven peaks.
The cliffs of Dover might be England’s most famous cliffs, but the Seven Sisters are more beautiful.
The best way to experience the Seven Sisters cliffs is by walking the coastal trail from Seaford to Eastbourne.
Alfriston Village
Alfriston is one of the oldest villages in the county. It was founded in the Saxon period and became a market town in the Middle Ages.
A picture postcard village with a traditional old market square, cobbled pavements and beautiful old buildings the length of its high street, with a variety of places to eat, sleep, shop and explore.
Home to the National Trust’s first property, the Clergy House and St Andrew’s Church, known as ‘the cathedral of the downs’. Both beautiful buildings lie next door to each other with the village green in front and the Cuckmere river behind.
Herstmonceux Castle
For a taste of England’s history, brick-built Herstmonceux Castle in Hailsham, just outside Eastbourne, makes for a magical day out. Dating back to the 15th century, the castle and its stunning gardens combine the grandeur of medieval England with the romance of the European renaissance.
Michelham Priory
You have to venture about 8mi (2km) out of Eastbourne proper to reach Michelham Priory, a stately home on a moated island near Hailsham. It’s certainly worth the extra mileage though, a relic dating back to 1229 and brimming with Tudor history, as well as providing a home for London evacuees during the Blitz.
